The present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus that has a user authentication function.
For example, image forming apparatuses include a printer, a multi-function printer and a combined-machine such as an MFP (Multifunction Peripheral). In some image forming apparatuses, there are stored personal information and in-house confidential information. From view point of security and the like, measures are taken for the prevention of leakage of these information pieces to the outside. One of the measures is a user authentication function provided to the image forming apparatus. This allows a user to receive an authentication only when password and/or ID that the user inputs are in coincidence with previously registered password and/or ID. Only the user who has received the authentication can access and retrieve specific information.
Incidentally, some image forming apparatuses of such a type allow for printing, say, a preregistered emergency support information piece or the like. However, sometimes the image forming apparatus that is provided with the user authentication function may fail to achieve the user authentication function piece. Thus, it is predicted that printing the emergency support information piece or the like may be made unsuccessfully.
In addition, in a case of an emergency disaster, a large scale disaster (such as a large scale earthquake) may be predicted by which the image forming apparatus may be overturned or out of order. Under such an emergency environment, it is essential to prevent an outbreak of fire due to a heat source such as a heater of a fixing part, electric shock by a high voltage power source part, and splashing of toner or the like. For this reason, an action is requested such as causing the image forming apparatus to stop in an emergency.
Under such environments, as a typical case, it is possible to think of an application of a user authentication method of a user authentication device. In such a case, when a signal that is indicative of an emergency, the user authentication is deactivated. Thus, it is possible to manipulate a monitoring system without performing the user authentication.